Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley will attend this weekend's crunch game against West Ham United.

The Daily Star says Ashley will be at West Ham on Saturday to judge for himself the mess the Geordies are in.

And what he sees in Newcastle's remaining three games this season will decide the fate of boss Alan Pardew.

Ashley missed the 6-0 thrashing by Liverpool but after watching the earlier Tyne-Wear derby humiliation he's aware of the team's plight.

If Newcastle suffer relegation for the second time in five years, not even Pardew's eight-year contract will save him.